Protective cover



March 12, 1963 J. M. HALL PROTECTIVE COVER Filed NW. 14, 1960 United States Patent Ofilice,

3,081,018 Patented Mar. 12, 1963 The present invention relates to protective covers used in the packaging of rectangular loads such as stacks of sheets or the like, and has particular reference to a universal type of corner cover which is formed from a flat blank of suitable protective stock, the blanks being so made that a single size of blank can be formed into corner covers of varying dimensions as required to fit and properly protect a wide range of load sizes.

In shipping rectangular stacks of sheet metal such as tinplate from one plant to another, it is a customary practise to place the stack on a rigid pallet and to cover the exposed surfaces of the load with a cover made of a suitable protective material such as stifi corrugated board, bands of steel strapping thereafter being bound around the pallet, the stack, and the cover to bind the same into a rigid shipping package.

Heretofore, it has been customary to form the protective cover from one or more blanks which are precut to size so that they can be utilized only for a load having one specific set of dimensions. Since stacks of tinplate vary considerably in height, length and width, depending on the surface area and the number of sheets which compose the stacks, it has heretofore been necessary to carry a great many different sizes of cover blanks in stock.

This practise is very undesirable since it necessitates a large inventory of blanks.

The present invention eliminates the need for carrying many dilferent sizes of cover blanks in stock by providing a blank which is suitably cut and scored so that it can be formed into a cover which will cover and protect one corner area of the load, four such covers being required to completely cover and protect the load. The blanks are preferably so dimensioned that the corner covers made from them are sufficiently large to slightly overlap each other on the largest size stack normally encountered, so. that as the stack sizes decrease, the overlapped cover portions will increase in area. The blanks are: also provided with a plurality of parallel scores which permit the blank to be selectively folded to form corner covers of varying heights as required to-match the varying heights of the loads. Thus, as a result of this invention, it is only necessary to keep in stock one, or at the most, a very few 'sizes'ofcover blanks to accommodate the normally encountered range of stack sizes.

An object of the invention therefore is the provision of a universal corner cover blank which may be selec tively formed into corner covers having vertical and horizontal dimensions which-correspond to the particular size of the load or stack to be protected, so that only a single size blank is required for a wide range of load sizes.

Still another object of the invention is the provision of protective corner covers for a cuboidal load wherein the vulnerable vertical edges of the load are protected from physical damages such as denting by double thicknesses of cover stock.

Still another object of the invention is the provision of a corner cover blank which can be formed into corner covers of varying heights which correspond to the varying heights of the loads to be protected.

Numerous other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent as it is better understood from the following description, which, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, discloses a preferred embodiment thereof.

Referring to the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a plan view of a corner cover blank embodying the principles of the instant invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a set up corner cover which has been made from the blank of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a shipping package of stacked metal sheets which are protected by four corner covers of the type shown in FIG. 2.

As a preferred and exemplary embodiment of the instant invention, FIG. 1 of the drawings discloses a flat blank 10 which is adapted to be formed into a right angled corner cover 12, four of which are adapted to provide a full protective covering for the otherwise exposed top and side surfaces of a cuboidal load which may be of any nature but which is here shown as a stack 14 of flat metal or fibre sheets of the type which are normally used in the manufacture of cans or other containers.

The blank 10 is preferably formed of stiff corrugated fibre board, but it will be understood that protective sheet stock made of any suitable fibrous, metallic, plastic, etc., material may be used. The blank 10 is preferably rectangular in shape, being formed with four right angled corners 15, 16, 18, 20 and four straight edges 22, 24, 2'6, 28. A line of separation 30, which preferably is a cut or slit extending completely through the material of the blank but which may be a perforated line or other line of weakening, bisects the corner 15 and extends inwardly therefrom to a point in the interior of the blank 10 as seen in FIG. 1. As a result, this line of separation is disposed at 45 angles to the blank edges 22, 24.

The blank 10 is also provided with two groups of spaced and parallel crease lines or scores, numbered 32 and 34, which extend respectively from the blank edges 28, 26 to the line of separation 30. The scores in each group are disposed in parallelism to each other and to the adjacent outside edge of the blank 10, the scores 32 being parallel to the edge 22 and the scores 34 being parallel to the edge 24. The scores in each group are preferably equal in number, each group being here shown as containing six scores, but obviously this number may be varied as required. Similarly the spacings between the scores may be uniform or nonuniform. The corresponding paired scores in each group are spaced identical distances from their respective parallel blank edges 22, 24 or from the inner terminal point of the line of separation 30, so that each score 32 meets its corresponding score 34 at the line of separation 30, as clearly seen in FIG. 1. However, the scores 32, 34 do not terminate at the line of separation 30 but continue across and outwardly beyond it to the outer edges 24,

22 of the blank 10, the extended portions of the scores 32 being designated by the numerals 36 and the outer extensions of the scores 34 by the numerals 38. Thus,

selected pair of potential depending walls of desired depth and a pair of opposed potential triangular flaps on the walls to be formed from the blank into a corner cover.

When it is desired to form the blank 15 into a right angled corner cover 12 which is suitably dimensioned to cover and protect one of the corner areas of the stack 14, the blank 10 is first bent or folded at right angles to itself along that score 34 which is spaced from the edge 24- a distance which is equal or substantially equal to the height of the stack 14. This fold extends from the edge 26 to the line of separation 30 and creates a depending wall 40 (see FIG. 2) which is of a height equal to the height of the stack 14. Next, this depend- 3 ing wall dtl is folded inwardly along that score 36 which meets the folded score 34 at the line of separation 30, until the triangular flap 42 which is created by this folding operation is bent perpendicularly to the wa'l 40.

This flap 42 is disposed at the end of the wall 40, and' is bounded by the folded score 36 and by portions of the edge 24 and line of separation 30.

Thereafter, the blank is bent downwardly along that score 32 which meets the folded score 34 at the line of separation 30, thus forming a second depending wall 44 which is of the same height as the wall 40 and disposed at right angles to it and is disposed outwardly of the triangular flap 42. This wall 44 is then bent at right angles along the corresponding score segment 38 to form a second triangular fiap 46 which is brought into surface contact with the depending wall 40 to complete the formation of the corner cover 12. The unbent portion 48 of the blank which is disposed at right angles to both depending walls 40, 44 forms the top panel of the corner cover 12.

This folding operation may of course take place while the blank if; is properly positioned on the stack 14. Preferably, however, the corner covers 12 are preformed by holding the blanks 10 around a suitable form or jig prior to their application to the stack 14. In either event, suitable means are utilized to hold the exterior fiap 46 against the depending wall 40 to thereby maintain the corner covers 12 in set up position. Such means may comprise a piece of adhesively covered tape 50 (see FIG. 2) or a staple 52 (see FIG. 3). There is normally no need to secure the interior flap 42 to the wall 44, since the inherent tendency of this flap to return to its unfolded position, when the cover 12 is formed of fibrous stock, will hold it in open position. However, if desired this flap 42 can also be taped or stapled in place.

In preparing the package shown in FIG. 3, the stack 14 of sheets is positioned on a rigid wooden pallet 54 which supports it during shipment to the manufacturing plant. Thereafter, a corner cover 12 is applied to each of the corners of the stack 14, as seen in FIG. 3. These covers are preferably so dimensioned that they overlap each other and thus cooperate to completely cover and protect the exposed top and sides of the stack 14. After thefour corner covers 12 have thus been positioned, a plurality of steel straps 56 are wrapped around the covered stack to secure it to the pallet and to firmly hold the corner covers 12 in place.

It will be understood that the scores 32, 34, $6, 38 are preferably spaced from the edges 22, 24 of the blank 10 at distances which are equal to the normally encountered load heights, so that by folding the blanks 10 along the proper scores, corner covers 12 which are exactly equal to the varying heights of the stacks 14 can be readily obtained from identical blanks 10'. It will also be obvious that because of the overlapping of the corner covers 12 substantial variations in the horizontal dimensions of the load can be accommodated by corner. covers made from the same identical blanks.

It is obvious, of course, that if the horizontal dimensions of the stacks 14- vary too greatly, the corner covers 12 will not overlap but rather will be spaced from each other, thus leaving portions of the stack 14 exposed. In some instances, as where the main requirement is that the corner covers afford protection against denting of the vulnerable vertical corners of the stacks 14, this exposure will not be objectionable. It will be seen that the corner covers 12 are admirably suited to protect such vulnerable corners from physical damage, since the folded flaps 42, 46 create double thicknesses of stock in such areas.

It is thought that the invention and many of its attendant advantages will be understood from the foregoing description, and it will be apparent that various changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangerneut of the parts without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention or sacrificing all of its material advantages, the form hereinbefore described being merely a preferred embodiment thereof.

I claim:

1. A blank adapted to be folded to form a cover for one corner of a rectangular load such as a stack. of sheets, comprising a sheet of stiff protective stock having at least one right angled corner and being formed with a line of separation which bisects saidcorner and extends inwardly therefrom to the interior of said sheet, said sheet also being formed with two groups of corresponding parallel scores extending completely across said blank, the scores in one group being disposed in parallelism to one edge of said right angled corner and the scores in the said other group being disposed in parallelism to the other edge of said right angled corner and at right angles to the scores in said first group, each of the scores in one of said groups crossing said line of separation and intersecting a corresponding score in the other of said groups along said line of separation whereby said blank may be folded along a selected pair of said intersecting scores to form a right angled. corner cover of a desired height.

2. A blank adapted to be folded to form a cover for one corner of a rectangular load such as a stack of sheets, said blank comprising a sheet of stiff protective stock having at least one right-angled corner that is bisected by a line of'separation that extends inwardly mm the corner apex to a terminal point in the interior of said sheet, said sheet also being formed with two groups of spaced and parallel straight score lines, said score lines of each group being disposed at right angles to the score lines of the other group and extending completely across said sheet and said line of separation, with each score line of one group intersecting a score line of the'other group at a point on said line of separation, whereby said blank may be folded along a selected pair of said intersecting score lines to form a right-angled corner cover of a desired height.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 646,638 Cutler Apr. 3, 1900 1,339,339 Hoffman May 4,- 1920 1,485,584 Bergstein Mar. 4, 1924 2,631,723 Ellsworth Mar. 17, 1953 2,675,123 Baird Apr. 13, 1954 

1. A BLANK ADAPTED TO BE FOLDED TO FORM A COVER FOR ONE CORNER OF A RECTANGULAR LOAD SUCH AS A STACK OF SHEETS, COMPRISING A SHEET OF STIFF PROTECTIVE STOCK HAVING AT LEAST ONE RIGHT ANGLED CORNER AND BEING FORMED WITH A LINE OF SEPARATION WHICH BISECTS SAID CORNER AND EXTENDS INWARDLY THEREFROM TO THE INTERIOR OF SAID SHEET, SAID SHEET ALSO BEING FORMED WITH TWO GROUPS OF CORRESPONDING PARALLEL SCORES EXTENDING COMPLETELY ACROSS SAID BLANK, THE SCORES IN ONE GROUP BEING DISPOSED IN PARALLELISM TO ONE EDGE OF SAID RIGHT ANGLED CORNER AND THE SCORES IN THE SAID OTHER GROUP BEING DISPOSED IN PARALLELISM TO THE OTHER EDGE OF SAID RIGHT ANGLED CORNER AND AT RIGHT ANGLES TO THE SCORES IN SAID FIRST GROUP, EACH OF THE SCORES IN ONE OF SAID GROUPS CROSSING SAID LINE OF 